Gov. Deal's budget includes more for education, ethics, Falcons parking

2015-01-16T21:23:57Z2015-01-16T21:23:58Z

Gov. Nathan Deal released a $21.7 billion budget plan Friday that gives many teachers and state employees the chance to get small raises next year and spends another $23 million on parking near the new Atlanta Falcons stadium.

The first budget of governor's second term boosts spending by about $900 million, with a sizable chunk of the money going for increased enrollment in schools and pay raises for teachers and state employees. Exactly how much the 200,000 state employees and teachers will receive will depend on their agencies and school districts.

The proposal would increase Department of Education funding by nearly 7 percent and reduce the austerity cuts to basic education spending - a constant in the state budget since the early 2000s - to their lowest levels since 2008.